The word for “foreigner” in Japanese is 外人 gaijin, which actually meals “outside-person” (e.g. outsider), but since this word can have negative connotations, the word 外国人 gaikokujin (“outside-country-person”) will always be used on official documents or the TV news. Probably the single biggest difference between Japan and the West is that here, 98% of the county comes from more or less the same genetic stock, which means that foreigners stand out much more than we would in, say, Paris or Budapest. This can sometimes be a challenge, since I often find that I’m the only foreigner present in a place, whether it’s working out at the gym or in a crowded hall during a concert. Some foreign friends I’ve had over the years have been bothered by standing out so much, or at the occasional stares (always by children rather than adults, as this is the most polite country in the world), saying that Japan was like “living in a fishbowl.” I just ignore any odd attention I may find myself receiving, perhaps breaking the ice with a polite konnnichiwa.
So, what’s it like to be a gaijin in Japan?
